Integrated cellular telephone with programmable transmitter

ABSTRACT

The inventive cellular telephone includes a telephone for transmitting outgoing telephone call signals and receiving incoming telephone call signals and a transmitter for producing a wireless control signal to operate a remote device. The remote device may be a remote keyless entry system, a garage door opener, an estate gate opener, a home security system, a home lighting system, or some other system. To reduce cost, a single transmitter may produce both the control signal and the outgoing telephone call signals. In a preferred embodiment, the transmitter may be programmed to reproduce one or more unique control signals to operate several remote devices.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to an integrated cellular telephone with aprogrammable transmitter.

[0002] A programmable transmitter, sometimes referred to as a universaltransmitter, is a device which may be “trained” to reproduce the controlsignals of one or more remotely controlled systems. All-in-one,programmable, infrared remote control transmitters for televisions,videocassette recorders, and stereos combine the functions of severalremotely controlled systems into a single transmitter. Similarly,several radio frequency (RF) controlled systems, such as garage dooropeners, security lighting, estate gates, and alarm systems, may beoperated with a single transmitter that has the ability to “learn” andreproduce the unique RF messages employed by various manufacturers.Thus, a single programmable transmitter can eliminate the need to carryseveral separate RF transmitters. As a result, programmable transmittersprovide a convenient way to consolidate the functions of severalhand-held transmitters into a single device.

[0003] Cellular telephones, sometimes referred to as personalcommunication systems (PCS), provide a convenient way to place andreceive telephone calls. A cellular telephone is a wireless radiotransmitter and receiver which communicates through any of a number ofantenna towers, each serving a particular “cell” within a given region.Over the past decade, the use of cellular phones and the number ofcellular antenna towers have dramatically increased. Due to recentadvancements in technology, most cellular phones are of a portable,hand-held size. As a result, many people now routinely carry a cellularphone. Further, most people must carry several hand-held transmitters tooperate devices such as remote keyless entry systems, garage dooropeners, home security systems, etc.

[0004] Accordingly, there is a desire to integrate the functions of acellular phone and several hand-held transmitters into a singleportable, hand-held device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] In a disclosed embodiment of this invention, a cellular telephoneincludes a telephone for transmitting outgoing telephone call signalsand receiving incoming telephone call signals and a transmitter forproducing a wireless control signal to operate a remote device.Preferably, the remote device is a remote keyless vehicle entry system,a garage door opener, an estate gate opener, a home security system, ora home lighting system. To reduce cost, the transmitter may produce boththe control signal and the outgoing telephone call signals.

[0006] In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the transmitter maybe programmable to reproduce one or more unique control signals tooperate several remote devices.

[0007] These and other features of the present invention will be bestunderstood from the following specification and drawings, the followingof which is a brief description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008]FIG. 1 is an electrical schematic diagram of a cellular telephoneincluding a programmable transmitter feature in accordance with thepresent invention.

[0009]FIG. 2 shows a schematic of the types of systems which may becontrolled by this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0010]FIG. 1 is an electrical schematic diagram of a cellular telephone10 including a programmable transmitter feature in accordance with thepresent invention. The cellular telephone 10 transmits outgoingtelephone call signals and receives incoming telephone call signals. Thecellular telephone 10 includes a transmitter 12 for producing a wirelesscontrol signal. An antenna 14 is connected to the transmitter 12 forbroadcasting the wireless control signal. In a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention, the transmitter 12 produces both the wirelesscontrol signal and the outgoing telephone call signals. Typically, thewireless control signal and the incoming telephone call signals areairwave signals having different radio frequencies. Accordingly, in oneembodiment of the present invention, the transmitter 12 consists of awide band voltage controlled oscillator capable of producing both thewireless control signal and the outgoing telephone call signals.

[0011] As shown in FIG. 2, the wireless control signal has a uniquefrequency and code to operate a remote device 15 such as a remotekeyless vehicle entry system 15A, a garage door opener 15B, an estategate opener 15C, a home security system 15D, a home lighting system 15Eor any other system operated with a wireless control signal.

[0012] Referring back to FIG. 1, cellular telephone 10 further includesa receiver 18 for receiving wireless control signals and the incomingtelephone call signals. As explained below, telephone 10 will receivewireless control signals in a learning mode to “learn” appropriatesignals to actuate one of the systems 15A-15E. The receiver 18 includesan antenna 20 for collecting local airborne signals such as the wirelesscontrol signal and the incoming telephone call signals. Typically, thewireless control signal and the incoming telephone call signals areairwave signals having different radio frequencies. Therefore, toreceive both the wireless control signal and the incoming telephone callsignals, a portion of the receiver 18 is preferably frequencyindependent. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, aportion of the receiver 18 is a conventional diode detector.

[0013] The cellular telephone 10 also includes a controller 22 forcontrolling the transmitter 12 to produce the wireless control signaland the outgoing telephone call signals. Typically, the controller 22 isa microprocessor. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention,the controller 22 includes memory 24 for learning the wireless controlsignal. The controller may then control the transmitter 12 to reproducethe “learned” wireless control signal. In this manner, the cellulartelephone may be programmed to reproduce one or more unique wirelesscontrol signals to operate several remote devices 14. As a result, thefunctions of the cellular telephone 10 and several hand-heldtransmitters are integrated into a single portable, hand-held device.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cellulartelephone 10 includes plurality of input switches 26 and 28 forproducing input signals providing operational information to thecontroller 22.

[0015] The cellular telephone 10 also includes a conventional microphone30 connected to the controller 22 for converting audible sound wavesfrom a user into electrical waves and a conventional speaker 32 forconverting electrical waves from the controller 22 into an audible soundwaves.

[0016] Switches 26, 28 may be actuated in some manner to send a signalto actuate systems 15A-15E. As an example, switch 26 could actuateremote entry system 15A. While switch 28 actuates garage door opener15B. A combination of switches 26 and 28 can be actuated to control theother systems 15C-15E. Preferably, the switches would be actuated insome combination to move the system into a “learning” mode at which itcan receive and then store an appropriate control signal.

[0017] While preferred switches are shown, many distinct switchsequences or designs can be used to achieve the goals of this invention.Thus, as an alternative, the normal telephone keyboard can be utilizedto control the actuation by pushing the keys in some predeterminedsequences.

[0018] The controller 22 is disclosed somewhat schematically and aworker in the appropriate art would be able to design an appropriatecontrol, given the basic functions disclosed in this application.

[0019] While this invention is described as relating to a cellularphone, it should be understood that it relates to any type of wirelesstelephone. As an example, it extends to radio-frequency telephones, orPCS systems, which incorporate telephone functions in addition toseveral other functions such as paging, etc.

[0020] Further, as to the trainable system for teaching the inventivetelephone the signals for the systems to be actuated by itstransmitters, a system such as described in U.S. patent application Ser.No. 09/027,323 filed Feb. 20, 1998 and entitled “Multiple FrequencyProgrammable Transmitter” should be referenced.

[0021] Preferred embodiments of this invention have been disclosed,however, a worker of ordinary skill in the art would recognize thatcertain modifications would come within the scope of this invention. Forthat reason, the following claims should be studied to determine thetrue scope and content of this invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A wireless telephone comprising: a telephone fortransmitting outgoing telephone call signals and receiving incomingtelephone call signals; and a transmitter for producing a wirelesscontrol signal to operate a remote device.
 2. A wireless telephone asset forth in claim 1 wherein a single transmitter produces both saidcontrol signal and said outgoing telephone call signals.
 3. A wirelesstelephone as set forth in claim 2 wherein said transmitter consists of awide band voltage controlled oscillator.
 4. A wireless telephone as setforth in claim 1 wherein said remote device consists of at least one ofa remote keyless entry system, a garage door opener, an estate gateopener, a home security system, and a home lighting system.
 5. Awireless telephone as set forth in claim 1 including a receiver forreceiving both said control signal and said incoming telephone callsignals.
 6. A wireless telephone as set forth in claim 5 wherein saidreceiver consists of a frequency independent receiver.
 7. A wirelesstelephone as set forth in claim 5 wherein said receiver consists of adiode detector.
 8. A wireless telephone as set forth in claim 5including a controller for controlling said transmitter to produce saidcontrol signal and said outgoing telephone call signals.
 9. A wirelesstelephone as set forth in claim 8 wherein said controller includes amemory for learning said control signal and controls said transmitter toreproduce said learned control signal.
 10. A wireless telephone as setforth in claim 8 including a plurality of input switches for producinginput signals providing operational information to said controller. 11.A combination radio frequency transmitter and receiver comprising: anoscillator circuit for producing wireless control signal and outgoingtelephone call signals; a receiver circuit for receiving incomingtelephone call signals; and a microprocessor for controlling saidoscillator circuit to modulate said control signal and said outgoingtelephone call signal and for demodulating said incoming telephone callsignals from said receiver.
 12. A combination transmitter and receiveras set forth in claim 11 wherein said receiver circuit consists of adiode detector.
 13. A combination transmitter and receiver as set forthin claim 11 wherein said oscillator circuit consists of a voltagecontrolled oscillator controlled by said microprocessor.
 14. Acombination transmitter and receiver as set forth in claim 11 whereinsaid microprocessor includes a memory circuit for learning said controlsignal and controls said oscillator circuit to reproduce said learnedcontrol signal.
 15. A combination transmitter and receiver as set forthin claim 11 including a plurality of input switches for producing inputsignals providing operational information to said microprocessor.